An old 42 breakdown truck

[harry]

dont see much of this stuff in new zealand these days

[Dan in Pasadena]

I assume that was once what we would call a "wrecker" or a tow truck here in the States. Is there evidence in the bed that it had a winch in it at one time?

Are you buying this truck, or just showing it to us? What's the story? Who owns it and it looks to be out in some rural area.

[special-K]

Harry,that`s real neat.Is it RH drive?You don`t sww many here,either.That`s a real treasure there,though.Thanks for the pictures.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Tim,
I could see that wrecker lowered and on polished Alcoas with a 454 in it. I'd probably put a winch back in it, but it would be a mockup and be removable so you could use the wood flat bed (albeit with those cool partial sides.) I'd paint it a bright color and put some original old school graphics on the doors.

Not my truck, but I have no problem spending someone else's money!

[harry]

just thought i would share with you guys and heres a pic of the winch which looks like a manual wind up job. Sounds like the truck spent its life at a rural garage in a small town in NZ. looks to be right hand drive as it still has a wiper on rh windsheild. im not buying it as i already have four trucks

[special-K]

COOL! Look at the size of those gears and pullies.My friend had a`41 Ford breakdown truck/wrecker/tow truck/tow wagon/tow crane/hoist truck/thingamajigger whatchamacallit with a hook on back and it was hand operated (I love different terminology).Those things work amazingly well.Back then they pretty much were all hand crankers.When that`s all you have you design them right.I`d love to have that thing.Every truck nut needs one.
Dan,I can see it in your hands now.I love the colors many of these would have been painted.It seems for the sake of safety and/or shop recognition,as well as a touch of pride,you`d see these painted up about like a circus truck.All we ever see are old black & white photos.But,to see a correct restoration from personal memory,records,or just having enough old paint left to go by,these trucks usually really stood out.They were the saviors of the road.A proud duty for a truck.I love`em all.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Oh man, I LOVE the squat,pug nosed, purposeful look of that thing. Seeing that hand crank winch only makes me want it more. I'm guessing if the owner is willing to sell it could be had for a song (relatively). Too bad its half way around the world from here!

[special-K]

I`d like to have it,too.Are you thinking about moving there like I am?

[Dan in Pasadena]

I don't need the motivation of that truck to be interested in living in New Zealand. It seems like an Eden on Earth.

[harry]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I don't need the motivation of that truck to be interested in living in New Zealand. It seems like an Eden on Earth.

you guys are living in eden with all those trucks over there,man its hard getting s/hand parts here im almost tempted to import a truck just as a parts truck!!!!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

You know Harry, you're probably right. For a car guy, Southern California is about as sweet as I can imagine it being. Saturday was about 80 degrees and clear up here in Pasadena (Do you know about Pasadena? Where the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl [American college football] is played every New Years day?). I saw a guy cruising in a perfect, school bus yellow hi boy with a blown big block Chevy in it. I was driving along side a '72 Chevelle SS on the freeway. Typical Saturday out here.

But its hard to imagine SoCal being better than the pictures I've seen of the scenery in New Zealand. Southern California is a reclaimed desert, plain and simple. Its pretty brown and dull here as oppoed to so many other places in the States where iti s green ad lush, especially at this time of the year.

Do you know if the owner of this truck actually wants to sell it? I know a guy that has several '46's - a wrecker already (LH drive), a Canopy truck - VERY cool if you've never seen one, a panel and a flatbed. Those are just the ones I've seen. He says he's owned 28 of them over the years! Its possible he'd be interested in this one I suppose. I'll send him a link to this thread.

[harry]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

You know Harry, you're probably right. For a car guy, Southern California is about as sweet as I can imagine it being. Saturday was about 80 degrees and clear up here in Pasadena (Do you know about Pasadena? Where the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl [American college football] is played every New Years day?). I saw a guy cruising in a perfect, school bus yellow hi boy with a blown big block Chevy in it. I was driving along side a '72 Chevelle SS on the freeway. Typical Saturday out here.

But its hard to imagine SoCal being better than the pictures I've seen of the scenery in New Zealand. Southern California is a reclaimed desert, plain and simple. Its pretty brown and dull here as oppoed to so many other places in the States where iti s green ad lush, especially at this time of the year.

Do you know if the owner of this truck actually wants to sell it? I know a guy that has several '46's - a wrecker already (LH drive), a Canopy truck - VERY cool if you've never seen one, a panel and a flatbed. Those are just the ones I've seen. He says he's owned 28 of them over the years! Its possible he'd be interested in this one I suppose. I'll send him a link to this thread.

dan sounds like you live in hotrod heaven to me ,the 42 is for sale with a starting bid of around $1800.00 usd.If you want to look at the site its on, google trademe (one word) and you can have a look at some of the stuff for sale down here.The site is similar to ebay in the way you get around it and you may find it very interesting.let me know how you get on